


Islands in the Sea

by spibsy (lucy_and_ramona)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Biting, Feelings, Kissing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-18
Updated: 2011-12-18
Packaged: 2018-01-07 06:33:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1116634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucy_and_ramona/pseuds/spibsy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liam watches Louis watch him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Islands in the Sea

When Louis stops working out as much and starts just sitting there and looking at him, Liam notices, to some degree. Mostly, to be honest, he just concentrates on the movement of his feet and the beat of the music in his ears. He learned early on that working out without music was like performing without music to back him up: he _can_ do it, but it's more difficult and a little nerve-wracking to be the only thing in the silence.

Except that lately it's been a lot less the only thing. There's still the silence, at least until he gets Bruno Mars blaring in his ears, but there's an inquisitive face watching from the corner most days instead of trying to keep up with him on the machine.

He doesn't ask and Louis doesn't tell, why he's there, what he gets out of this.

Liam's pretty sure he knows, anyway. It's not something he actively thinks about, just something he notices, the way Louis's eyes follow him when he stretches, arms above his head to expose the carefully honed musculature of his stomach, the way Louis seems to bite his lip sometimes when Liam's doing bicep curls.

It's something acknowledged in Liam's head, and then slipped away to maybe think over later, after the competition, when he feels like having a crisis about his sexuality and the sexuality of his bandmates.

He can admit, maybe only mentally - definitely only mentally - that he's probably never going to feel like having that crisis, but he's pretty sure he's going to have to have it anyway.

He catches Louis's gaze while working on a stationary bicycle, and his eyes are dark. Liam knows why and all of a sudden it feels like his tongue is entirely too big for his mouth.

He tugs out an earbud, slowing to the pace of about a jog and leaning back. They've never spoken during this. Before, during breakfast, yes, and after, when Liam is toweling the sweat off his face, but never while they are in this room.

He opens his mouth, then closes it again. He's not even sure of what he _wants_ to say. 'The way you stare at me sometimes is really distracting.' and 'You could take your shirt off too, you know.' both seem like terrible ideas.

He opens his mouth again to say something, _anything_ when he notices the look on Louis's face.

It's a warning look, and a minute shake of his head from side to side tells Liam that now is not the time.

He contemplates forcing the issue and speaking anyway, but he still doesn't know what he would say, and besides, Liam's awfully bad at doing things Louis doesn't like.

He doesn't think that means anything, necessarily. They're all bad at disobeying Louis, just like they're all bad at telling Harry 'no' or being mean to Niall. It's a difficult thing to do, and a thing which if accomplished, leads to a person feeling remarkably bad, anyway.

Liam pops the bud back into his ear, restoring the balance of Bruno to his brain. He keeps his eyes on Louis, though, and Louis keeps his eyes on Liam. They remain that way for the rest of the workout, and by the end of it, Liam isn't sure how much sweat is from the exertion and how much is from the intensity of Louis's gaze.

Louis never sticks around as Liam changes, preferring to wait out in the hallway and surprise him when he's still got a towel over his face.

"Up for some biscuits?" is the cheerful exclamation that greets Liam this time, and Liam both admires and despises Louis's ability to just snap it _off_. "Harry's nicked a tin from Mary's cupboard. Well, I say nicked, but we all know she lets him have anything when he smiles."

Louis flutters his eyelashes and pretends to swoon into Liam's arms. Liam catches him, of course, though he doesn't need catching, steadying him with a firm grip on Louis's elbows, and for a moment, one brief _moment_ , Liam thinks that it'll happen outside the gym, outside that room, when Louis relaxes underneath his hands like putty.

Then he's stiffening right up again and bouncing down the hall shouting something Liam thinks _might_ be the lyrics to a Justin Bieber song. He's not really sure; he tends to leave that sort of thing to Niall.

He sighs, flipping the towel to hang over his shoulder as he makes his way back to the room they all share, desperately in need of a shower.

And if his mind traitorously wonders whether or not Louis would want to join him there, well, nobody can prove a thing.

\--

Louis doesn't join him the next time Liam works out, and Liam tries to pretend it doesn't matter. He goes through the same routine he always does, music blaring in his ears. It's their song for this week this time, because he's been listening to it as often as he can. He knows that he needs to concentrate anyway, but he still can't help but be disappointed that there's no face in the corner, watching him.

Nothing is different outside, though, outside that little world Liam wasn't aware he had created in his head. Outside the workout room, everything's normal, and Louis jumps on him when he comes in to breakfast before snatching a muffin off Harry's plate and offering it to him.

"Er, what," he says, because Louis doesn't seem about to say anything, simply grinning at him in the mad way Louis somehow makes charming instead of scary.

"A present from me to you," Louis says with a wide grin and a twinkle in his eye. Liam ignores Harry's loud protest of "From _me_ , you mean!" because something in Louis's expression is an apology, or at least Liam thinks it might be. It's probably nothing at all, but Liam accepts the muffin anyway, in case it's symbolic or some shit.

"Thanks," he says slowly, leaning back against the counter. "I like muffins," he adds, mentally groaning at himself. Sometimes, he wonders why he talks at all.

Louis's expression brightens that bit more and he tackles Liam into a hug, squeezing him tightly before bounding off to harass Zayn about the amount of product in his hair.

Liam surreptitiously tries to offer Harry back his muffin, but the other boy just snorts and waves away his attempts.

"Nah, keep it, man, I'm full, anyway. Was gonna give it to Niall." He smiles at Liam and carries his plate to the sink, and Liam shrugs, secretly glad to keep the stupid muffin that isn't symbolic at all.

He bites a chunk out of the top and smiles. It's blueberry. He hates blueberry.

He eats the whole thing anyway.

\--

Louis's there the next day, and Liam doesn't care if they're not supposed to interact besides nods of acknowledgement, he smiles. He doesn't speak, not willing to push the boundaries quite _that_ much, but he gives Louis a smile that makes his cheeks hurt.

It must startle him, because he takes a moment to smile back and his eyebrows are a little hitched up his forehead, but he does smile back, and that's what matters to Liam.

He stretches a little beforehand, and as always, can feel Louis's gaze on him. He honestly doesn't know why this happens. There is literally _no_ entertainment value in watching Liam work out, beside the entertainment implied sometimes in the widening of Louis's pupils. Surely, though, that can't be enough to sustain Louis for an hour? Liam just goes and powers through and listens to mainstream pop. It's on his iPod, as well, so Louis doesn't even have the excuse of staying to listen to the music.

Liam flicks through his music, debating on which song to listen to. They've started working on the harmonies for their song this week, so he knows that to practice that now would mess up all their hard work without the ability to sing with the other boys.

Right, he'll go with Bruno, then. It's his default, really.

Liam taps the play button, tucking it into his pocket as the music flows into his ears. He heads for the stationary bicycle first, starting out slow, because he knows better than to go all out first thing.

Louis is still watching him, Liam knows, but he looks anyway. Yeah, he's still watching, eyes meeting Liam's for a moment before seeming to fix somewhere near his left collarbone.

Liam shakes his head slightly. He's never going to figure that boy out.

He closes his eyes, letting himself get lost in the workout until he feels his legs burn with the strain. Time for something else, then. Weights, maybe. He's been feeling a little lacking in upper body lately, so he might as well.

He absentmindedly strips off his t-shirt as he does, sick of the feeling of sweat-damp cloth against his skin.

He doesn't know how he forgot about his earbuds considering the loud music in his ears, but they get tangled up in his shirt and he sighs, then pauses with a frown before putting them back in.

After a moment, Liam shakes his head, putting them back in. He had thought Louis had made a sound of some sort, but apparently not, or if so, it wasn't meant for Liam.

Liam sets himself on the weight bench, reclining back and checking to make sure the weights are correct. Sure enough, they're at the same amount they were yesterday morning. He snorts, for a moment amused at the lack of physical fitness from the other members of the house before he relaxes and lifts his arms.

He grunts with the first lift, adjusting his grip to get used to the weight. It's always a little difficult to start, but he knows it'll get easier, so he just continues.

Liam's not stupid, he knows that he should really have a spotter, but Louis is only twenty feet away, and he's sure that if something disastrous happened and he dropped the bar somehow, Louis wouldn't just sit there and keep staring.

Or maybe he would, considering that's all he ever does. Liam doubts it, though.

Liam closes his eyes, ignoring it when one of his earbuds pops out. It's not like he can just let go with one hand and push it back in, so he sighs at the fact that Bruno is only gracing one half of his brain for now.

It's because of the lack of sound from that ear that he notices the quiet sound next to him, and when he opens his eyes, Louis isn't in the corner anymore. He's next to him, on the other bench, sitting and yes, still staring.

Louis has pretty eyes, Liam half-notices, putting his lift on pause as he waits to see if Louis is going to say anything, _do_ anything. After a moment of nothing but their eyes locked, Louis moves, his hand resting just next to Liam's ear. Liam feels the bud being pushed back in, and he swallows against his suddenly dry throat.

He nods a little in thanks, and Louis smiles, a small smile, but a smile all the same. He opens his mouth and Liam raises his eyebrows as Louis's lips form the words 'You're welcome.' He's not sure if Louis was mouthing them or if he was actually speaking, but it's not like he's going to ask, and it's not like he could hear the answer, couldn't even read Louis's lips now, as he's turning and heading back to his position in the corner.

Louis sits down, and Liam begins lifting again, and everything that stopped starts again, as it was. Louis stares. Liam wonders. And the music plays on.

The rest of the workout passes uneventfully, and when Liam heads to the chair with his bag on it, he notices Louis leaving out of the corner of his eye. Out come the earbuds, and he shakes his hair out before wrinkling his nose and wiping off the sweat that's gathered on his chest with the towel he brought with him. He really wishes he could just shower here, but he's much more comfortable using the one in their room, and besides, it's a ritual by now that Louis will accost him outside. Liam doesn't know what would happen if he took longer than Louis expected. Would he come in? Would he check on him?

Liam sighs at the useless questions bouncing around his head, instead tugging on an old t-shirt and dropping the sweaty one he had been wearing earlier into the bag. He swings it over his shoulder and pulls a bottle of water out, uncapping it and taking a swallow as he heads for the door.

He doesn't even know why he's still surprised, he muses as Louis pops in front of him, startling him enough that he jumps and a little water sloshes out of the bottle and onto his shoes.

He gives the other boy an unimpressed look. "Hello," he greets even though he's not sure whether or not greetings are appropriate if you've technically spent the last hour together.

"You're damp," Louis informs him instead of greeting him back.

"Yeah," Liam agrees. It's sort of obvious. "Gonna take a shower once I get back to the room."

"Why don't you just take one in there?" Louis asks curiously, tilting his head. Liam isn't sure of what exactly is happening. They never refer to in there, not even obliquely.

He doesn't know what his response should be, either. _'Because I'm a little afraid you'll want to watch me do that too and more afraid because I'm pretty sure I wouldn't mind.'_ seems too forward.

He shrugs a shoulder instead. "Dunno, just like our bathroom, I guess."

Louis takes that in for a moment, face more serious than Liam's ever seen it outside the workout room, and then he nods.

"I think Harry used the rest of your girly shampoo," he says with apparent glee. "He's a naughty boy. But he smells nice now, so maybe you should thank him."

Liam huffs, torn between amusement and annoyance. "It's not _girly_ ," he states, unsure of why that's the thing he decided to focus on first.

"It's called 'Ocean Tide'," Louis points out as though that's a valid argument.

"I like it!" Liam says back, even though that's about as relevant as Louis's statement. "I'll have to get more," he says before Louis can respond to that. "I guess it's alright. At least he doesn't smell like a foot anymore."

"It was getting difficult to stomach snuggling with him," Louis agrees with a cheery grin. "Breakfast?"

"Oh. Yeah." Liam grips the strap of his bag a little more tightly. "Breakfast." He slides a hand down to rest over his stomach as it rumbles. "Probably a good idea."

Liam looks back at Louis as Louis's head jerks back up, and Liam only has a moment to wonder _what was he looking at_? before the other boy is slinging an arm around his shoulders and beginning to skip, unconcerned with whether or not Liam is prepared to skip with him.

Liam stumbles over the first few bounces, then proceeds to jog along. It's not quite the same rhythm, but there is _no way_ he is skipping, not even for Louis.

\--

Liam isn't having a good morning.

He woke up later than he meant to, and that always puts him in a mood anyway, because he feels like he's wasted time he could have been _doing_ something with.

After that, he tripped over a shirt he's pretty sure belongs to Harry and stumbled into the door. He's got a bruise on his cheek from the doorknob that's going to be hell to cover up for the live show tomorrow, and he hates it when Christine the Makeup Lady frowns. When she frowns, he feels like offering her sweets or money or his soul as long as she just smiles again.

With a throbbing cheek and a surly disposition, he had decided to head down to the workout room anyway. Somehow, Louis always manages to get there first, despite always being in bed when Liam leaves. He has no idea how the other boy manages, and at the moment, he couldn't care less.

He trudges down the stairs, pausing in the kitchen to grab a few biscuits to eat on the walk there. He'll have actual breakfast with the boys afterwards, but he feels like he could use the sugar right now.

Liam calms a little on the way to the room, pushing open the door to see what he expects, Louis lounged in the corner, his legs crossed at the ankle as he sits against the wall. He experiences a spark of annoyance at the utter _normalness_ that is this thing that should be completely ridiculous. He knows what's going to happen now. He's going to work out. Louis is going to watch, for some _unfathomable reason_. And then it'll end, they'll both leave, and Louis will treat him like everything's sunshine and beautiful and whatever normality is in Louis's world.

Liam closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. There's no use getting upset when there's really nothing to be upset about. He's having a bad morning, but that's no excuse to take it out on Louis, not even in his own head.

He gives Louis a tight nod before setting his bag down and taking out his iPod, deciding to just let it play on shuffle. He can't be bothered to make an actual decision on what to listen to.

A quick survey of the room later and Liam is headed for the treadmill. He sets the pace on the display and jams the music player in his pocket, unsure of what it is that's even playing. That really shouldn't happen, he muses as he begins to jog. He should really know everything on his iPod, considering he's the one who put it there.

It's alright, not a voice Liam recognizes, but it's alright. He mentally shrugs and lets the song carry on without pulling the device out of his pocket to see who it is. It doesn't really matter anyway, as long as it's music he can find a rhythm in.

Suddenly, the music cuts off, and Liam frowns, slowing as much as he can with the machine going at its own pace. He pulls out his iPod and sighs as he sees the screen is blank. He tries in vain to turn it back on, even though he already knows what's happened. He meant to charge it last night, but forgot in the chaos that is being in the finals of the X Factor.

He shoves his earbuds into the same pocket as his iPod, sighing and dialing up the speed of the treadmill. He won't be able to distract himself from his thoughts now, and that's annoying.

Liam is aware of Louis's presence more and more as the time without his music goes on, not voluntarily, but he can sort of _sense_ him, just sitting there. Louis doesn't say anything, but once in a while Liam will catch a quiet cough or shuffle of movement from the corner and he'll remember that Louis is there in the room with him.

He still can't figure out what Louis gets out of watching him. It is _watching_ , too, not hanging around aimlessly. Louis's eyes never leave Liam, no matter where he goes or what he does in the room. It'd be creepy if it wasn't Louis. Hell, it's still a little creepy, because Liam can _feel_ his gaze.

He carries on with his workout because he can't just stop in the middle like a normal person probably could. Liam knows that if he tries to stop now, he'll feel jittery and wrong until he finishes the routine.

Routine, he thinks bitterly. That's what his life's become. Routine. That's right, the weight bench now. Don't change it up too much, Liam, just keep it normal, safe, ordinary. There's Louis, watching from the corner again. That's just normal, though. Don't upset the balance, Liam. Keep the balance.

He doesn't want to do this anymore, he thinks with a glare toward the ceiling as he lifts the weight, the lack of sound becoming almost a sound in and of itself. Not working out, he loves that, loves the strain and burn in his muscles and the pounding of adrenaline in his veins.

He doesn't want to do _this_ , doesn't want to keep everything the same. He wants to change it.

This anger feels good. Liam doesn't normally let himself get angry, because he doesn't think it's very productive. Annoyance, frustration, yes, but he never lets them proceed into anger. This, though, he's pretty sure this is anger. Anger at himself, for being so stubborn and willing to remain so, anger at the world for forcing him into a role he's not sure he wants to play, anger at Louis for making his life so much more complicated than he wanted it to be.

It's not Louis's fault, it's not the world's fault, it's not even really Liam's fault, and he _knows_ that, but the anger feels good, liberating. It's been a long time since Liam's been angry.

He finishes with the weights and sets them into their holder carefully. The look on his face must be stormy, because Louis's eyebrows slowly raise and he's up and heading for the door almost before Liam moves toward his bag.

The movement seals it for him. Why is this what always happens? Who's making the rules in this stupid game they're playing? Why does Louis get to just run out like the hour he's just spent staring at Liam with almost scary intensity _didn't happen_?

Liam's speaking before he thinks, pivoting on his heel and talking to Louis's back. "Louis," he says, and his voice sounds shot, like he just tried to hit a note he really shouldn't have.

Louis freezes, his shoulders tensing, but he turns around, the look on his face a mixture of surprise and reproach, like Liam should _know better_ , and it just spurs on the hot anger in his stomach.

"What the fuck are you playing at?"

Louis looks at him carefully, and for a moment, Liam's sure he's not going to respond, that he's just going to keep walking away.

He doesn't. He turns to face Liam completely, clearing his throat and then-

"I was kind of hoping _you_ knew," Louis says slowly, his hands fidgeting at the edges of his pockets like he wants to put them inside but isn't sure if he should.

"How would _I_ know what's going on in _your_ head?" Liam asks, bewildered and still crackling a little. "Nobody fucking knows what goes on in your head."

Louis cracks a small smile, slightly smug and Liam wants to punch it or kiss it off his face, he's not quite sure which. He just wants a _moment_ where he can not be attracted to Louis at all, a _moment_ where these fleeting thoughts won't cross his mind.

"What the hell are you smiling at?" he asks, near hisses, and Louis stops immediately.

"Nothing," he says softly. It sounds like he's trying to placate Liam and he sees red, didn't even know that happened outside novels, and a moment later he has Louis pressed hard against the wall behind him, the heel of one hand grinding into his shoulder, the other splayed flat on the cold concrete of the wall behind him. He uses the muscle advantage to keep Louis there even though Louis isn't struggling to get out of his hold, only wincing a little at the pressure on his shoulder.

"I don't know what you're doing," Liam says, voice bare and brittle and not nearly as angry as he feels. "I don't know why you're here every fucking day, I don't know why you _watch_ me," he finally manages a growl and Louis's cringe is pleasant in the pit of his stomach. "I don't know why we never talk about it. I don't know _why you just keep staring at me_ ," he says though he said it already, because he feels that's important, wants to know _why_.

Louis seems about to speak and Liam nearly wraps a hand around his throat, but settles for simply glaring until Louis closes his mouth again. He'll get his chance to explain once Liam's finished.

"I thought at first that maybe you were just, I don't know, trying to pick up tips from watching while I worked out, it didn't make much sense but I didn't _think_ about it that much because you're Louis and you _don't make any fucking sense anyway_." He moves automatically when Louis presses against his grip a little, whimpering. He relaxes his hand only to move his forearm across Louis's throat. It's not pressing hard enough to choke him, just enough to make sure he can't turn his gaze from Liam's, to keep him still.

"But you _weren't_ , because you didn't ever do anything but _stare_. That's all. You just stare and stare and stare and _why_?" he asks again. He licks dry lips, about to continue, but then Louis's eyes flick down. They flick back up immediately, wider like he knows he's given himself away, but Liam's stuck on what he was looking at.

"Did you-?" he asks, the question aborted because he already knows the answer, has always sort of known the answer.

Louis's face is bright red, and Liam doesn't think he's ever seen Louis blush.

"I-" Louis starts, eyes panicked, but he never finishes what he's going to say because Liam's lips are on his, Liam's hands are sliding into his hair and Liam's hips are canting against his, pressing him to the wall as though afraid he might try to get away if Liam doesn't keep him there.

Liam strokes his thumbs over Louis's cheekbones, kissing him in a rush of want he didn't know he was suppressing. He parts Louis's lips easily, his tongue stroking alongside the other boy's and when Louis attempts to press into the kiss, Liam presses back, harder, forcing Louis's head into the wall and only feeling mildly bad when a short whine of pain exits Louis's mouth.

There is nothing gentle or sweet about this kiss, it's not like the ones Liam's sometimes seen Louis give Harry when Harry's panicking before they go onstage to calm him down, this kiss is like sex standing up, like fire burning through his veins. This kiss makes Liam think of creaking bedsprings and slick, heated skin, makes him _want_ more than he thinks he's ever wanted before.

Louis is making quiet noises into Liam's mouth, his breath coming in pants from what Liam can tell, and he likes that, likes that Louis isn't in control anymore, Louis isn't setting the rules to this game because finally there _are_ no rules. Liam curls his tongue around Louis's, tugging a little on the ends of his hair, and when it makes Louis whimper, he does it again.

Louis tries to move his arms around Liam's neck and Liam moves without thinking, grasping his wrists and pressing them into the wall. He bites the tender flesh of Louis's lower lip, relishing in the keening noise this provokes as Louis arches his neck in an attempt to connect their lips again, but Liam ignores it, taking in the way Louis's throat is bared and lowering his lips to press there instead, kissing and sucking and biting until there's barely a breath between Louis's gasps.

The gasps resolve into words at some point, Liam's not sure when, but when he notices, he slows a little, laving his tongue over the burgeoning mark on Louis's throat.

"I can't I can't I can't Liam I can't please please _Liam_ ," and Liam likes the way his name sounds like that, too, throaty and desperate and _shattered_ , likes knowing that he _did_ that. He breathes out, shuddering a little when his breath against Louis's neck makes the other boy shiver.

Liam sucks lightly at the same spot on Louis's throat, his hands relaxing and moving until one is stroking through Louis's hair and the other is lightly spread over his ribs.

He sighs, leaning back and managing a laugh when Louis leans with him, unable to support himself on shaky legs without the wall or Liam's assistance.

They remain silent for a moment, catching their breath and their thoughts. Liam has no idea what to say, not a first, but definitely a first in this situation. After so long with so many questions, it seems strange to just _know_.

"So," Louis says finally, his words still a little breathy as he calms down. "You totally fancy me."

Liam laughs, loudly now, shaking his head and curling his hand around Louis's neck, a perfectly innocent gesture were it not right on top of the bruise he's sucked and bit into the skin there. Louis shivers and Liam smiles.

"Right," he says, tilting his head. "Right, that's what happened."

Louis blatantly flushes, though it's harder to tell when he's already flushed from the exertion beforehand. Twice in one day, Liam thinks, vaguely impressed with himself. That's got to be a record.

"Yeah, well," Louis retorts, floundering a little when he realizes he has no end to his argument. "So, breakfast's gonna be interesting," he says pleasantly, leaning off of Liam on slightly wobbly legs. "Bet you a tenner we barely get into the kitchen before Zayn's doing his Eyebrows of Massive Innuendo at us."

Liam shakes his head, pressing his palm against the mark again, lightly, just because he likes the little shivery thing Louis keeps doing when he does, before using the hand to tug him into another kiss. The way Louis melts into it with his entire body makes Liam's head spin a little, so he breaks it quickly, smiling and then finally answering Louis.

"Are you kidding? He'll probably be able to sense it before we ever get out of this room." He slides his hand down Louis's arm, both expecting and not expecting it when Louis links their hands once Liam reaches his. He gives Louis a look and receives an innocent face in return, so he just sighs again and lets him, secretly quite pleased.

"Can I get my bag now?"

"No," is Louis's immediate response, as Liam knew it would be. He sighs and moves to get it anyway, ignoring the fact that Louis is still holding onto his hand. It's less holding hands now and more Louis deliberately trying to be as annoying as possible.

"Hey," Liam says casually, waiting for Louis to hum in question before swooping in and kissing him again, smiling as he earns the same boneless reaction he did the last time he did it. He lingers against Louis's lips before pressing one more kiss there and leaning back. "So you do that every time?" he asks curiously.

Liam watches Louis's throat bob with a certain sort of fascination. "Er - I think, yeah. Every time with you, anyway. I dunno, s'never really... Happened before," Louis admits, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand.

"Oh. Huh." Liam looks back at him for a moment, unsure of what to say in response. Louis is blushing again; Liam's lost count of the number of times it's happened today. ". . . Breakfast?" he says for lack of anything better, and Louis's eyes light up as he tugs Liam's hand, dragging them across the room with his mouth going a mile a minute about how Harry had better let him borrow some of his ridiculous scarves for the live shows.

Liam thinks about how he'll still know exactly where that mark is even with several layers of cloth covering it, and smiles. Today's workout was much more productive than he ever could've hoped.


End file.
